Chapter 1: Dead End (Part 1)

Chapter 1 1. Dead End (I)

Zhaozhao was just Zhaozhao. She had only a given name, no surname.

She had no father. By rights, she could have taken her mother's surname, but her mother was a prostitute, her grandmother was a prostitute, and three generations up were all prostitutes—all doing thriving business, none able to tell whose seed they carried.

She was still young, not yet at the age to be sold. Her face was pale, her body thin. Mama Yu in the building said she was prime material, that she would amount to more than her mother; perhaps one day a high-ranking official would buy her as a concubine, so she wouldn't have to rot in the building like her grandmother.

"Zhaozhao, I'm begging you! Please sweet-talk your mother into following me!"

*Clink.* A white porcelain plate landed on the table. In the center lay a braised pig's trotter, stewed until meltingly tender. The skin and meat, glazed with sauce, trembled slightly. The most succulent piece was picked up by Zhaozhao with her chopsticks and popped into her mouth.

"Uncle Wang, among all the men lusting after my mother, you've treated me the best."

She ate the trotter meat, feeling the richness, and took a sip of tea to cut the grease. "It's not just me who's moved; my mother sees it too and thinks you're reliable."

"Little Ancestor, then please put in a few more good words for me!" Butcher Wang leaned in excitedly. "If it works out, I'll treat you to braised pig's trotters for a whole month!"

Zhaozhao's eyes were large and limpid. When they rolled, she looked like a kitten or some such small creature. "But Tailor Li buys me candied haws every day. I couldn't resist my greedy mouth, so I already promised him."

"What are a few strings of candied haws? How dare you show your face with such petty favors!" Butcher Wang fished out a piece of broken silver and slammed it onto the table. "Take the money and pay him back! When picking a stepfather, you have to think of your mother's happiness. Don't bother with those poor scholars. I make more selling one pig than he does selling ten bolts of cloth!"

"Uncle Wang, I couldn't possibly accept this..." Zhaozhao's eyes were hooked by the money, but her hand pushed the silver back. "To tell you the truth, compared to Tailor Li, my mother actually prefers you, Uncle Wang. She told me not to take too much advantage of you, saying we'll be family in the future..."

"Your mother really said that?" Butcher Wang chuckled, already treating himself as the stepfather. He forced the silver into Zhaozhao's hand. "Family takes it!"

Zhaozhao took the money, then continued unhurriedly, "But my mother also said, your wife hasn't been dead a year. If she follows you now, it might be inauspicious."

"This..."

Butcher Wang opened his mouth to explain, but heard someone shout from behind: "Zhaozhao, your mother's back! Mama Yu is furious and is going to punish her! Hurry back and beg for mercy!"

The newcomer was Xiao Duo, the male procurer in the building. He had run all the way and was bent over, gasping. "Your... your mother's been knocked up!"

"Knocked up?" Butcher Wang froze for an instant, his dark face flushing red. He slammed the table in rage. "Zhaozhao, didn't you say your mother hasn't been seeing clients these past months because she was sick? How is she pregnant then?!"

Zhaozhao couldn't be bothered to argue. She took out the silver and returned it. "Uncle Wang, I don't want this money."

She grabbed Xiao Duo to leave, but Butcher Wang blocked their path, cursing, "You little girl, so young and already deceiving people? I treated you to seven or eight meals, got nothing but lies. Money fed to the dogs!"

He sprayed saliva everywhere. Zhaozhao didn't dodge or flinch, enduring it patiently until he finished yelling. Then she raised her sleeve, wiped her face clean, and smiled. "Uncle Wang, if a whore doesn't lie, is she still a whore?"

"You played me!"

Butcher Wang raised a hand bigger than Zhaozhao's face, hesitating whether to bring it down.

Neighbors gathered, clamoring not to argue with a child, but the words soon turned into not arguing with a little whore.

Butcher Wang glared viciously at Zhaozhao, gnashing his teeth. "Little whore, you'd better pray your fate is good, that some blind fool buys you. Your mother's pregnant with a bastard now, ruined. I don't want her anymore. I'll keep the money to redeem her and use it to buy you later!"

"You've worn seven wives to death and still want to buy someone to abuse?" Xiao Duo shouted indignantly. "The only reason you're clinging to Zhaozhao's mother is that no decent girl or widow dares marry you, right?"

Butcher Wang's sordid affairs were known throughout the county. Everyone said his "family treasure" was more poisonous than arsenic. Hearing Xiao Duo say this, the onlookers all snickered, whispering and gossiping.

Butcher Wang lost face. In a rage, he raised his hand to strike Xiao Duo. "A eunuch pimp dares talk back to your grandpa?!"

Xiao Duo couldn't dodge in time. *Smack.* He was spun around like a top by the blow, falling to the ground dizzy.

Butcher Wang wasn't satisfied and moved to kick him. Zhaozhao hurriedly blocked Xiao Duo, her childish face wearing a worldly smile. "Uncle Wang, then it's settled. I'll wait for you to bring the silver to buy me."

With that, she pulled Xiao Duo up from the ground and squeezed out of the crowd. Xiao Duo covered his swollen face, spitting blood as he apologized. "I was too rushed... didn't see there was still someone sitting in front of you."

"Small matter." Zhaozhao handed the handkerchief from her sleeve to Xiao Duo to wipe his face. "How did my mother come back? Was she caught by the authorities?"

Zhaozhao's mother was named Yaoniang. She was stunningly beautiful but had terrible luck. From fifteen to thirty, she had slept with wealthy old masters all over the surrounding countryside, yet never managed to climb onto a reliable patron.

As the years passed, Yaoniang faded. Her clients dwindled, her price dropped. Selling herself cheaply was useless, so she wanted to devote herself to one client. But the men willing to redeem her were all utterly wretched—either widowers or old men, either black and fat as pigs, or too ugly to look at. Worse still, some reeked so badly that sitting with them made her dizzy and nauseous.

She prayed for heaven's mercy, for a good match—and incredibly, her wish came true.

Half a year ago, a capital official retired and returned home, staying in Qingyang County. The County Magistrate hosted a banquet in his honor.

Yaoniang was summoned to perform music at the banquet. She made a mistake in the tune, and the "Zhou Lang" turned to look—she locked eyes with a secretary in the official's retinue. After a few encounters, feelings sprouted.

The secretary was young, talented, and handsome, with a bearing far from ordinary—definitely not a thing in a pool. Yaoniang fell at first sight, longing to stay by his side forever. But he had yet to make his name; his pockets were empty, and he truly had no money to redeem her.

The two should have parted ways there, but for some reason, Yaoniang lost her mind. Risking the capital crime of a registered courtesan fleeing, she eloped with him regardless of the consequences.

One night, they left silently, without even waking Zhaozhao.

She had a mother when she went to sleep; when she woke, she was an orphan. Not just an orphan, but penniless—Yaoniang had taken all their savings, not leaving a single copper. She knew Mama Yu would raise her to sell her, so she wouldn't let her starve.

Thus, Mama Yu suffered a double loss. The old lady was furious, secretly sending people to catch Yaoniang while interrogating Zhaozhao repeatedly.

Zhaozhao had no answers. Her mother chose a man over her, leaving without a word. How could she know where they went?

Mama Yu couldn't catch them, and feared the County Office would blame her for poor management. So she suppressed the news of Yaoniang's escape. She claimed Yaoniang had contracted a strange illness fearing light and wind, so she was secluded in the back courtyard seeing no clients. After a while, announcing a death from illness would settle it.

As for Zhaozhao, Mama Yu indeed didn't let her starve—three days for two meals, keeping her alive on the edge.

But Zhaozhao was at the age of growing, able to eat, sleep, run, and jump. How could she endure the fire in her belly?

Even with Xiao Duo's help, she spent her days hungry, her soul drifting. One day, in a trance, she tripped on the steps. She didn't hurt her head, but the fall knocked loose a crooked thought. From then on, she "opened her eyes," targeting the men who came looking for Yaoniang, maneuvering to swindle food and drink. Life became quite lively.

Occasionally, when calm, she would hope for her mother's return. But on second thought, it was better if she didn't come back.

She knew her mother's worth too well. Instead of returning in glory, her mother was more likely to be abandoned after being used. Rather than that, she preferred her mother to be thousands of miles away, ruthlessly and peacefully happy until old age.

But heaven didn't grant her wish. Her mother returned anyway.